Online eAssessment: AMEE Guide No. 39

Abstract

In this guide, the authors outline the advantages of online eAssessment and examine the intellectual, technical, legal and cost issues that arise from its use. This guide outlines the major assessment types that are suitable for online assessment and makes a key distinction between formative and summative assessment. The focus is primarily on the latter since that is where the difficulties are most acute and robust systems most critical. A range of practical issues relating to the key stages in running a summative e-exam are explored and advice given on system requirements and on how to ensure that the exam runs smoothly when you ‘go live’. This section includes consideration of the way that using eAssessment might affect the standard setting and results analysis process. The section on future trends in online assessment explores possibilities such as computer adaptive testing and the automated assessment of free text answers. Finally, there is a consideration of the implications of these trends for management.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Reg Dennick

DR REG DENNICK is a biochemist turned medical educator and is Assistant Director of Medical Education in the Medical School at the University of Nottingham. He is also the Course Director for the University of Nottingham's Masters in Medical Education programme and is an educational consultant to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR).

Simon Wilkinson

DR SIMON WILKINSON has been involved with the use of IT in higher education since 1995. Today he oversees strategic developments at Nottingham Medical School of both the NLE and TouchStone, a dedicated assessment and survey system, focussing on issues such as standard setting and curriculum mapping.

Nigel Purcell

NIGEL PURCELL currently works as the Senior Education Advisor at the Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary Medicine, based at the University of Newcastle.